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HYDROXYACETIC ACID
Marketers prefer the less-scary-sounding "alpha-hydroxy." It’s a corrosive acid that breaks apart the outer layer of skin, spurring new cell growth. While it may make you look younger, it can also make skin twice as vulner­able to sun damage — good thing Neutrogena adds SPF 15 sunscreen. When hydroxyacetic acid is not melting faces worldwide, it can be found in bathroom tile scum removers, where it dissolves minerals left behind in your shower.

BENZOIC ACID
A derivative of toluene and oxygen, benzoic acid is a preservative commonly used to keep soda or fruit juice from getting moldy. In lotion, it functions as an antimicrobial.

BENZOPHENONE
Rub this flower-scented lotion on your skin or stick your
face in a diesel's tailpipe, where benzophenone is present in the exhaust. Either way, you get a nice sunscreen. If swallowed or inhaled, though, the substance may disrupt hormones and mess with your brain. Scientists — and probably industry lawyers — recommend against using it on kids.

PANTHENOL
This is the alcohol variant of pantothenic acid, aka vitamin B5. In a living cell, it becomes a component of coenzyme A, which helps repair the skin's plasma membranes. Attention Chernobyl-area residents: It also protects against gamma radiation from nuclear fallout.

ASCORBIC ACID POLYPEPTIDE
You know it as vitamin C. In lab tests, ascorbic acid generated an eightfold increase in the production of collagen, which helps prevent wrinkles. It’s also a powerful antioxidant that neutralizes free radicals (highly reactive molecules that can damage the skin's surface).

OCTYL METHOXYCINNAMATE
Another sunscreen ingredient, this compound absorbs light in the 280- to 320-nanometer range, the ultraviolet-B part of the spectrum. This type of blocker is a fairly recent addition to lotions — the ozone layer used to stop UVB rays.

XANTHAN GUM
This natural additive gets around more than Paris Hilton. It provides a smooth, pillowy texture in just about everything — from toothpaste and ice cream to rust dissolver.